Machine for forming irrigating-laterals



(No Model.) 1

' A. J. THOMPSON. MACHINE FOR FORMING IRRIGATING LATERALS.

No. 473,034. 7 Patented June 28,1892

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ANDREW J. THOMPSON, OF MONTROSE, COLORADO.

MACHlNE FOR FORMING IRRIGAITING-LATERALS.

$PEC IFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 478,034, dated June28, 1892.

Application filed March 14, 1892 To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, ANbREW J. THOMPSON, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Montrose, in the county of Montrose and State ofColorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machinesfor Forming Irrigating-Laterals; and I do declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable1o others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to thefigures of reference marked thereon, which form a partof thisspecification.

Myinvention relates to an improved agri cultural implement speciallydesigned for use in forming irrigating laterals or branches for thepassage of water through fields in those sections where the naturalatmospheric precipitations are insufficient to supply the demands ofvegetation. To those familiar or conversant with irrigating methods itis understood that the Water for use is taken from a main lateral,canal, or ditch through suitable head-gates and directed into the branchlaterals or trenches formed at suitable intervals across the field to besupplied with water, whereby the water seeps into the ground andmoistens the strip intervening the laterals.

The formation of these laterals or trenches is the primary object of myinvention, though it may be advantageously and profitably employed inmany and various other relations, as in the planting, cultivating, &c.,of diifer' ent crops. To these ends my improved implement consists ofthe features, arrangements, and combinations hereinafter described andclaimed. The device will be fully understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which is illustrated an embodiment of theinvention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top or plan View of the machine, showingthe frame-work.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same mounted upon wheels. Fig. 3 is aside view of the metal frame to which the shovel is attached. The shoeattached to the bottom of the frame 5': is shown in longitudinalsection. Fig. 4 is a front view of the's'ame with the shovel removed.Fig. 5 is a detail View of this metal Serial No. 424,918. (No model.)

frame on a small scale, showing the manner of attaching it to thesupporting frame-work. Fig. 6 is a detail view in perspective of theshoe. Fig. '7 is a similar view of the shovel. Fig. 8 is a front view ofa leveler, which may be attached to the metal frame in place of theshovels. Fig. 9 is a section taken on theline 0a as, Fig. 1, showing the'manner of securing the movable frame to the axle.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts or elements ofthe mechanism in the several views.

Let the numeral 5 designate the axle mounted on the wheels 6, whicharolaterally adjustable on the shaft by the use of set-collars 7.' Uponthis axle is secured a frame composed of side beams 8 8 and a centralbeam 9. Upon this latter beam is supported a suitable seat 10 for thedriver or manager of the machine. As shown in the drawings, this seat islocated or supported upon the rear extremity of a beam 12, having itsextremities supported by standards 13, secured at the base to beam 9..

Attached to the forward extremities of beams 8 by means of hinges 14 areother beams 15, the hinged or adjacent extremities of the beams 8 and 15being cut away or oppositely beveled, as shown at 16, to allow saidbeams to occupy the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. Beams 15are rigidly secured to transverse beams 17, to which are bolted. themetal frames 18, composed of the parallel top and bottom bars 19 and 20,the inclined front bar 21, and the rear bar22- Frames 18 are laterallyadj ustable on beams 17 by means of a series of openings 23,..throughwhich bolts 24 may be passed. Beams 17 are secured together by suitabletransverse bolts 17. The front bar 21 of each frame 18 is provided witha slot 26 for the reception of the securing-bolts 25 for shovels 27. Bymeans of slots e 26 the shovels may be adjusted vertically, as

may be desired, or as maybe necessary to form the required depth ofthelateral.

To the lower bar 20 of each frame 18 and in the rear of the shovel issecured the concavo-convex shoe 27, its forward extremity being narrowand made to engage bar 21, while it increases in size toward the rear.The object of this shoe is to clean out the trench roughly formed by theshovel and ICC smooth the walls sufficiently to form a water conduit forthe purpose stated.

Instead of shovels 27, a leveler 28 (shown in Fig. 8) may be employed.This leveler may be of any desired length. It should be secured to bothframes 18 of the machine, one leveler taking the place of both shovels.

To the tongue 35 is pivoted one extremity of an ad justing-lever 30, theother extremity extending upward within reach of the user of the machineand supported in a suitable metal strap 31, which is secured to one ofthe standards 13 and engages notches 32, formed in the lever. 3yreleasing this lever from engagement with the strap 31 the frame-workpivoted on the axle tips backward to the position shown by dotted linesin Fig. 2 and draws the frames 18 and their shovels out of the ground ina position for traveling when it is not desired to use the machine inthe fields, or when for any reason it'is desired to maintain the shovelsabove the surface of the ground.

From the foregoing description it is thought the use and operation ofthe machine will be readily understood. Foralfalfaand finegrains andcereals the ground is first properly prepared and the seed sown.Myimproved machine is then employed to form the laterals fordistributing the necessary water over the field. By means of the lateraladjustability of frames 18 with their shoes and shovels thesedistributing-laterals may be formed any desired distance apart. Myimproved machine is also em- .ployed for cleaning out these lateralsafter the crop is partially grown and the laterals have becomepartiallyfilled. By reason of the vertical adjustability of the shovels on frames18 these shovels maybe so set as to enter the ground any desired depth."When used in connection with such crops as corn and potatoes and allcrops planted in rows, the seed may be dropped into the trenches formedby the shovels in crossing the field in one direction and covered byrunning the machine across the field in the reverse direction, theshovels being made to run in proximity to the rows. By this means thelaterals or trenches for irrigating purposes are formed and the groundleft ready to turn on the water as soon as the seed is planted.

The machine will be found valuable as a potato-hiller, a generalcultivator, and for other purposes where the stirring, leveling, orpulverizing of the soil is desired. It will be observed that the wheels(5 are laterally adjustable on the axle 5, being held in place by theset-collars 7. These wheels should be ad-, justed to correspond with theposition of the depending metal frames 18, or so that they will roll inthe trench or lateral formed by the shovels and shoes attached to theseframes,

thus aiding in the work of perfecting the trenches for purposes of awater-conduit or irrigating-lateral. The face of the wheel may be madeconvex to correspond with the external face of the shoe, or it may beflat, as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination,with the axle mounted upon wheels, of the rear frame supported thereon,the forward frame hinged to the rear frame, and suitable means foradjusting the two hinged frames, whereby the forward frame and itsattachments are raised from the ground, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the axle mounted upon wheels, of the rear framesupported thereon and secured thereto, the forward frame hinged to therear frame, the depending metal frame 18, rigidly secured to the forwardframe, and suitable means for adjusting the two hinged frames, so as toraise the forward frame and its attachments from the ground,substantially as described.

3. The combinatipn of the pivoted rear frame, the axle, and thesupporting-wheels, of the forward frame hinged thereto, the adjoiningextremities ot' the framing-beams being oppositely beveled to permitmovement, depending frames 18, secured to the forward frame and providedwith shoessecured to their bottoms, and means for adjusting the hingedframes, consisting of a ratchet-arm pivoted to the tongue and engaging acatch secured to the rear frame, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the rear pivoted frame, suitably mounted, theforward frame hinged thereto, the depending frames 18, having shovels infront and concavo-convex shoes 011 the bottom, formed smallest in frontand gradually increasing in size toward the rear, and means forrelatively adjusting the two hinged frames, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the axle, wheels laterally adjustable thereon bymeans of set-collars, the rear frame secured to the axle, the frontframe hinged to the rear frame, depending frames secured to the frontsupportingt'rame and laterally adjustable thereon, and

IIO

suitable attachments for the depending ANDREW J. THOMPSON.

YVitnesess:

WM. MCCONNELL, E. M. DOIG.

